Shane Walsh's story
by 22girlsin1
Summary: WHAT IF Rick wasn't in season one. What if instead this was Shane Walsh's story. Alternate universal where Philip Blake is friends with Shane Walsh. They are cops together. Shane, and he has accident that puts him in a coma. Philip is left to take care of Shane's wife and son. Most characters will be from the show. I will add others in as well.
1. Chapter 1

REWRITE WALKING DEAD- SEASON ONE

WHAT IF

Rick wasn't in season one. What if instead this was Shane Walsh's story. Alternate universal where Philip Blake is friends with Shane Walsh. They are cops together. Shane, and he has accident that puts him in a coma. Philip is left to take care of Shane's wife and son. Most characters will be from the show. I will add others in as well.

CHAPTER ONE

"Andrea has shut me out. I have no idea what to do. How to save our marriage. This morning she even through out the word divorcee in front of our son Clay. Right before school too. Can you imagine a kid having to go to school with that in the back of his mind? Thinking that is somehow his fault," Shane said looking over at his friend Philip Blake.

They were setting on watch duty, eating fast food in their cop car. Philip looked over at Shane studying his expression.

"Do you think that you two will actually get divorcee? I mean you've been together since junior high," Philip feeling sympathy towards his friend.

After his wife's death, Philip knew that losing a spouse was difficult. Nothing he would wish on his best friend, a man he loved like his own brother.

"No. I mean Andrea will work through this. We're get through this together. You know how much I love her. Since we were kids," Shane responds, ruining his fingers through his wavy brown hair.

"If anyone can…you two will. Remember when Andrea found that you kissed Jennifer Smith in high school? You knew that she never forgive you then. Now you are married with a son," Philip said encouraging Shane.

Shane smiled over at Philip, his life had been so easy. The two had been best friends since second grade. Pretty much doing everything together. Even though Philip had a brother of his own, and Shane had a sister. These two related to each other better than their own siblings. Now here they were working together as cops. If only Philip's wife hadn't died in the terrible car accident, everything would be perfect.

"You ever think it might be time for you to start dating again? I mean Sarah been gone over a year," Shane said watching his best friend take a huge bit of a Big Mac. McDonald's was there favorite spot to grab a bite on Tuesday afternoons. A couple of hamburgers, French fries, and sodas. They were set.

" I don't know. I thought you and Andrea, had something I would never have. Then Andrea introduce me to Sarah. Seeing her standing there. I knew. She was my home. I don't think you get that more than once. I mean I have seen a few girls, but none outside of the bedroom. If you understand me," Philip said trying to laugh of his pain.

"Hey, let me tell you something, if you want to fall in love again then you have to willingly to put yourself out there again. Take one of these girls out to dinner, a movie with popcorn, and you pay. I am telling you," Shane said grinning at his friend.

Philip looks over at Shane, who looks at him. There is closeness that is almost too much for any friendship. One can't really tell where Philip ends and Shane begins. Since his wife's death Philip has become almost

 _dependent_ on his friendship with Shane.

"You are right. I should probably take Rowan out finally. She has been asking me for awhile now. She is just no Sarah," Philip says, or Andrea he adds silently in his head.

For a moment, Philip daydreams about Andrea. How understanding she was after Sarah's death. That one time in high school they shared a kiss, she found out for the hundredth time Shane cheated on her. So in a moment of anger, she leaned over forcefully kissing him. If she hadn't been _Shane's girl_ , he knew that he wouldn't have stopped kissing her. But she was. So no matter how pretty Andrea was with her blonde curls and big blue eyes, Philip did not let it go any further. Although no one would have blamed him, if he did.

Philip loved Shane, but he remembered the womanizer he used to be. Sometimes, he wondered if Shane deserved Andrea. But after his son's birth, Shane changed. He committed himself to Andrea, their family, and finally married the girl.

Philip was proud of his friend. He would never mention any unresolved feelings he might have for Andrea. Or ever talk about that kissed that happened several years ago. After all, she is his best friend's wife.

"Just do it," Shane encourages him, awakening Philip from his thoughts about Andrea.

Philip is about to answer him, when they are interrupted by that phone call. This one call changes everything in their friendship.

"That was another officer. He is chasing two criminals, heading into the next town. He wants us to set up a roadblock," Philip says as hanging up his cell.

"All right," Shane says, starting the car toward where his partner tells him to go. He does not think twice about putting his life in danger. Shane Walsh just drives fast.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

One moment they are setting in the police car eating Big Macs, the next thing Philip knows Shane is lying on the ground cover in blood.

The roadblock had lead to a shot out. Shane had barely stepped out the car, when he got shot close to his chest.

Philip acting quickly shots the criminals back, he sees them both on the ground. His attention is now on his best friend. _He has to make sure Shane will make it._

"NO, Shane. _You get_ that _ambulance down_ here! Tell them an officer is down" he starts to scream at another the police officers there.

"Stay with me, Shane. You hear me?" Philip says holding his best friend, before they take him away in the ambulance.

Watching helpless as they take Shane away, Philip decides he should be the one to tell Andrea. He thinks hearing the news from him will somehow make it easier. After all, Shane's family felt like his own.

On the way there, he wonders what he will say to Andrea. How could he explain this one to her? That the father of child was laying in a hospital bed fighting for his life.

Philip thinks back to the moment he was daydreaming about Andrea in the car, suddenly his little fantasy makes him for guilty.

Like thinking about Andrea sexually had caused this whole thing. But it hadn't. He knew that.

He pulls into Shane's driveway, where Andrea is standing in the front yard. He can tell she had been working in the garden, as he walks up to her seeing dirt on her face.

Looking into his eyes, Andrea knows something is wrong. The two stared at each other closely, while Philip was searching for the words to tell her what happened. How could ever explain this to her?

He looks at her again, wearing jeans and blue tee-shirt that is smudged with dirt, and her blonde hair falling in curls. He can't help but take notice of her beauty. For him there had always been an attraction.

"Shane is the hospital. They don't know if he will make it or not. Would you like me to talk to Clay for you?" He said finally.

"On the job, right? I have always been afraid something like this would happen," She says moving closer to Philip.

He nods, confirming that she was right.

"Want me to talk to Clay or I could drive you to the hospital? Anything you want," Philip says pulling her into his arms. She leans into his shoulders, crying into his chest.

"I should probably talk to Clayton alone. We will meet you at the hospital after I have told him about his father," Andrea says, trying to pull herself together.

"Ofcourse. I will see you there," Philip says walking to his car. Before leaving he watches Andrea go into the house talking to her son, who cries into her shoulders. In that moment Philip wishes he could go back instead and take both of them into his arms, but he know that would make Andrea uncomfortable.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

"May I?" Philip asked offering Andrea his shoulder to cry on. She says nothing but silently lays her head on his shoulder.

"Clay is staying with my sister. He just could not stand to see his father in the hospital bed for no one reason. He has to be okay. Shane has to wake up from this coma. After our fight the other day, I know my son blames me," Andrea said pulling him closer.

Probably too close.

"No one blames you, Andi. Shane is a fighter. He is going to wake up. And he will be back with the people who love him. I promise you that," he whispers holding her close to his heart.

"You don't have to stay another night at the hospital. It's been almost a week now. I know Rowan is probably looking for you," Andrea says pulling away from his arms.

His body fells cold as she moves away. He longs for her to return into his embrace. To feel her body against his again.

"You and Clay need me more than Rowan. I am not leaving you," Philip promises.

"I do need you. Tomorrow I am going to have to go back home. Clay has to go back to school. I just don't if I can feel safe in that house alone. Would stay at the house with me? Just for a few days," Andrea pleads.

"If that is what you need then that is what I will do. Anything you need," Philip breathes.

Looking over at Shane in the hospital bed, Philip sees how pale he looks. At the moment it looks unlikely that he will ever wake up. He remembers promising after Sarah died that if anything happened to Shane, he would take care of Clay and Andrea.

Shane would want you to stay with her. He would want someone to look after his wife and child if he couldn't. Still Philip feels guilty laying on the sofa beside Andrea, while his bed friend is in the hospital bed. The first night he stays at Shane's house he feels worst. But as the days go by, the guilt slowly starts to fade.

The doctors tell Andrea, Shane isn't likely to wake up. That night he spends the night in Shane's bed, holding Andrea in his arms. For just a second Philip thinks maybe it would not be so bad if he doesn't wake up. But he only lets his mind go there for only a moment. Until Andrea leads over kissing his cheek, whispering in his ear how much she appreciates him. Then that thought returns.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Only four weeks since the accident, but somehow Philip has settled into Shane's life. Not what he planned to do, but Andrea begged him to stay at the house. Clay who is only nine years old needed a father figure around.

Shane couldn't be there, so he was just filling in.

That's what he reminded himself.

Still picking up Clay from school, taking him to karate classes, and cooking meals for him and Andrea, Philip started to feel more and more like this was his family, not Shane's.

Andrea's visits to Shane start to become weekly, instead of daily. This week she hadn't gone at all. Knowing that it is only a matter of time, before she will have to allow the doctors to pull the plug. Then Shane would be gone for good.

"The longer he is in the coma, the less likely he is to wake up. And if he does wake, the doctor said there is a good chance his mind won't be there. He could have no idea what is going on around him. Shane would not want to live like that," she whispers late that night crying into his arms.

"Don't think about it now. Just get some sleep," he said holding her closer now. Their bodies touching caused him to think things he shouldn't.

Sleeping in Shane's bed with Andrea, looked bad. Philip knew how it looked. What people were probably saying. But Andrea could not sleep in that bed alone. So Philip laid there with her, just so she could finally get some sleep.

If Shane did wake up, he would understand. Philip had not touched her. They weren't intimate, but Philip could not deny that he longed to be with her.

He loved Shane, if he could trade places with him, he would.

But he couldn't. That is the reality of the situation. Shane was the one in the hospital bed, dying. So if he did not wake up, Philip believed that Shane would want him to be with Andrea. If he could not be there, then why not his best friend take care of Andrea and Clay?

He would not want her to be life with no husband, and Clay no father. Being a stay at home mom, Andrea had no income other than the savings Shane put away. Once that money was gone, Andrea would need someone to support her. Philip could easily take care of. Not just for himself, but for Shane too. He make sure that Clay and Andrea wanted for nothing. That was the least he could do since he could not save Shane's life.

People could say whatever they wanted, taking care of Andrea and Clay was the right choice for him. If Shane somehow got better, he would surely understand.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Time was moving so fast, Andrea could not believe Christmas was creeping upon them. Would this be her first Christmas without Shane?

The thought haunted her, always in the back of her mind. She could not imagine the holidays without him.

Clay was out with Philip, the two had gone to the movies. And she left alone staring at those damn papers.

If she signed them, they would unplug the machines keeping her husband alive.

"This is what Shane would want," Judy, his younger sister had pleaded with her. She knew that his sister was right, but she needed something to hold out for. Some hope her husband would return to her.

What would she give to hear Shane call her darling again, or walk into that room wearing his police uniform?

She longed to hug and hold her husband. The only man she had ever been with. Her boyfriend since she was only fourteen.

Their relationship was very much like Kevin and Winnie on the Wonder years. With them ending up together.

Not long ago Andrea had regret not having more life experiences before marrying Shane at the young age of twenty one. She realized all too late that finding him at young age was actually a blessing, and while things were far perfect while they were dating, Shane had been a wonderful husband. Never once unfaithful.

If anything she had failed him as a wife, by being pissed off all the time. Now if she signed these damn papers, she could lose him forever.

She puts the papers up, as she hears Clay and Philip coming into the house.

"How was the new Batman movie?" She asks, looking into her son's brown eyes. He looked so much like his father.

"Dad would have loved it. Philip is going to take me to see him at the hospital tomorrow," Clay says before leaving the room.

She was about to offer to drive him herself, as he walks off. Her heart falls to the floor, this whole thing was fucking up with her son's head.

"Don't mind him. He is just sorting things out," Philip says touching her arm. She finds herself moving closer without thinking about it. She had been doing a lot of that lately.

"We all are. And you have pretty much given up all your social life to stay here. I feel guilty about that," She said blushing.

"Don't this is were I want to be. Here with you," he says too kindly.

"That is sweet of you. And you have been amazing. I just think maybe you should go do something with Rowan. I mean Christmas is coming and I know she probably has something that she wants to do together," Andréa offers. The relationship with Philip has become like a marriage, with him taking care of her financially and emotionally. Not that she did not appreciate it, but she did not want him to get the wrong idea either. She still hoping against all odds, Shane would return to her and their son.

"Rowan and I broke up. She did not want me standing here. So ended it," Philip says, his blue eyes staring into hers.

"I wish you would have told me. Shane's family has offered plenty of times for us to stay there. And I could have moved in with my sister for awhile. I know something could have worked out where you would not have given up your girlfriend," Andrea says feeling guilty.

"Hey, I am Shane's family. And you and Clay are my family. There will plenty of time for me to date once Shane is home and feeling better. So don't feel guilty. Clay needs to stay here at his home," Philip says taking her into his arms again.

"I love you, Philip. You have always been the best of friends with Shane," she says, moving so close that he can smell her strawberry shampoo.

"I love you too," he says, meaning it in a completely different way.

He needed to prepare himself for the possibility that Shane could wake up. He would be happy to have his best friend back, but his heart would break having to give up Clay and Andrea. He saw them as his now.


End file.
